Page 73 of Bought By Sin

Dropping onto the bed and despising how out of breath I was, I cried out in frustration. Now my arm was sore as well, all those hits that rose up in protest of my moving that much.

“What’s wrong?”

Lev was there, rushing into the room.

I winced, shaking my head and trying to hide my face.

“Mila. What’s wrong?” He lowered to the side of the bed, brushing my hair back. “Tell me.”

I swallowed and refused to admit how scared I was of depending on him. Of how much I wanted to be free to depend on him and not panic that it was a trick.

“Are you…” He turned me to lie on my back, hovering over me with that deep concern blazing in his dark eyes. Lines bracketed his mouth and eyes, proving that he was truly worried. “Are you having flashbacks to it?”

I shook my head and kept my gaze lowered. He thought I was reliving my capture? No. That wasn’t it. I was trying to accept how much he mattered to me. How I couldn’t survive without him.

“That’s… that’s not it,” I admitted.

“Mila. Look at me.” He tipped my chin up so I’d meet his gaze. Searching my face, he frowned and rubbed his thumb along my cheek. “Tell me. What is upsetting you? What changed since I left the room?”

I sighed, wincing only a little when the deep inhale made my ribs and chest sore. “That.”

He raised his brows. “What?”

“That’s it.”

He watched me, and I couldn’t keep it in anymore. “That’s what happened. You left.”

Blinking twice, he seemed to struggle to process it. “I left to go to the kitchen. I told you where I was.”

I nodded slightly. “I know. But… you left. You weren’t here and I…” I licked my lips and tried to look down, but he tipped my chin up higher, forcing me to face him. “I’ve never been cared for like this. Never been someone worthy of being cared for. And it’s… it’s a lot to accept.”

He released a long, deep breath. “I’m here, Mila.” Lowering to kiss me, he sealed with a tender but needy seal of his mouth over mine. “I’m here.” He kissed me again, sparking an ember of that chemistry and attraction that never extinguished. “I will be here. And I do care.”

Oh, God.

I wanted to believe him. The thrill of opening up to believe him teased me. But instead of replying with any other words, I slid my fingers through his hair and kissed him back.

He growled into my mouth, parting my lips and sweeping his tongue for a dominating kiss.

I coiled my arms around his neck to keep him close, to banish everything from my mind. Kissing him this hungrily, I counted on him erasing the ugliness I’d experienced before.

As he deepened the kiss, I ached for him. Desire claimed me, and as I breathed faster, panting, he ripped his mouth away. Lust glittered in his eyes as I sucked in air.

But the stretch of my ribs had me wincing.

“Relax,” he urged. “I’m here.”

I nodded, pouting as he started to leave a trail of wet, hot kisses along my neck. Moving lower and lower, he kissed a path down my body, never flinching or hesitating at the scars on my skin, both old and new.

“I’m here, Mila. Here to care for you.” The promise of his words took a new meaning when he brought his hand between my legs and caressed me, smearing the arousal I’d already leaked from his addicting kiss.

“Lev—”

“Oh, fuck.” He growled as he tugged the shirt I was wearing up to reveal my breasts. It was all I had on, and with it bunched up by my neck, I was bare to him.

For him to suck on my breasts and lick my nipples.

For him to finger me and massage my pussy walls.